At the back end of last year there was mention, at 'an aviation society' meeting, of Manchester looking to build a new tower. Things then seemed to go quiet and nothing was heard until listening to a conversation in a public house the other evening - where better to hear bits of interesting news and yes, I accept that I am probably breaking CAA rules by broadcasting a conversation that was not intended for my ears?
Anyway, it appears that the airport authority is considering the building of a new tower - hopefully not like EDI or LHR, not that either are particularly architecturally unattractive, just that are are not the most beautiful either. If rumours be true (and this is a rumour item rather than news) it may be located in the aircraft maintenance area - hopefully with better views of the 06R threshold as the new site would be rather more central then the present facility which dates from 1962 (or did it become operational in 1961?)
As the ex-British Airways hangar has been empty for many a year, apparantly it would almost cost too much in rates to the city council to reinstate it as an operational facility, could it serve as a base to the tower with covered car parking for the tower staff!!
In passing - and alluding to the thread on 'following the greens at Heathrow'- it has been known for EGCC controllers to offer the same facility in off-peak times when they are able to multi-task, however it has been heard that certain pilots have then decided to follow their own noses onto unlit and rather dark stretches of taxiway when they have forgotten to swtich off their automatic homing devices.
Let the thoughts now flow freely - and the pints as well.
